There Are Days Like This”

“There Are Days Like This”

 "I wrote this piece in June 2008, hoping to present it at the postgraduate school's dinner, but I never had the chance. My words do not waste. This is to my country men."

‘Distinguished Lecturers, Colleagues, and Friends. I feel honored, highly privileged and challenged to stand before you today, I am not worthy, but I have a drive. Yes! We have known each other for some time now’.

‘The Bible says, there is time for everything; time to Sow and time to Reap, time to love and time to hate, time to be Born and time to Die. This is the time that we have met and sure is the time to part. It says further that, seek knowledge, and when you find it, seek understanding, for it is good. This is what will bring out the difference in you. No matter the tongue, the color, the height, we are all brothers, only the foolish one does not understand’.

      ‘I have searched life in its entirety, even at this juvenile age of mine, if I may mention so because I am only so in the faces of many, even here seated. Though it has proved difficult to understand some things, but I have been able to understand one, and this is it! ‘Life is nothing’. It is not worth killing for, neither is it worth dying for, so why would you strive with one another rather than bringing out your own potentials? Rethink!’

      ‘We all came here under one umbrella, to acquire knowledge, some; to use it to steal; some for personal uplifting; some for the love of it; some for debate; and some; for no reason at all. But I will tell you; for what so ever purpose we are here for, if not for the contributory aspect of it to humanity by adding our quota to life and giving it its true meaning, then, all is useless. However coated it may come to you, if it will not help your neighbor by putting a smile on his face always, then there’s no point. But if you ask me why I came at all, I will tell you; I came for healing, and now I am healed. If you ask me were you sick? I will tell you, people are sick in many ways, but my mind needed to be fulfilled, and now it is truly enlarged to do more exploit’.

      ‘What do you often tell yourself? How do you deceive yourself? I tell you, whatever you tell yourself, that is how you will be shaped. I used to know a boy that we were in the University together, about the year 2004. The day he rounded up his last examination to qualify him a graduate, that day, he screamed and raised his hands to the heavens and said; ‘kai! Nigeria is in trouble’. I was puzzled and asked him why, he said; ‘The University is releasing me too soon, at this young age, I am going to show them in ASO Rock’. Folks, that was the end of my friendship with that boy, and I did not forget to wish him well, after all, this is his conception about life’.

      ‘My heart is inspired from above and I will not relent, with a force, I will drive, a force greater than hurricanes, I will stand tall in truth, to accomplish Purpose. I told myself and keep telling myself. ‘My candle will burn when I live and when am gone, my Star will shine’. These are lines we must remind ourselves day by day. We have to abhor leaders that have come to steal; they must never be encouraged in our midst. All we need are leaders that are selfless, people with truth upon their lips, people that are not seeking for benefits, people that have chosen good name rather than riches. This is what Nigeria needs’.

      ‘Nigeria is our country, our home, our habitation, we will not allow others to ruin her neither would we use our hands to destroy her. It is sad that we hate our Country. How can you ever love what you hate? Can you ever fix what you despise? I tell you, if you love a Woman or a Man you will do anything for that one that you love. Nigeria is our love; let us love her passionately and relentlessly, and together joining hands to build her. It is sad that most of us are waiting for our turn to grab the national cake as they call it. But let me disappoint you, there are now new breed of citizens in this country that are zealous for her and they will never let you hurt her, ‘bet me’.

Our debates in class were really challenging, and some of us believe that the White Man came and hurt our lives, but if I may conclude; the white man gave us a focus. We fill they are still enslaving us, but we alone have chained our lives and looking for someone to blame. Is it not better to be enslaved by an Alien than by your own brothers? Listen now; Nigeria will repair when we repair ourselves, our thoughts about life, our selfish and greedy lifestyle, our enormous quest for riches in the die-hard process. If you are good and do the right things riches will certainly fly to you. How many people do you meet everyday? How many people tell you ‘thank you’ Everyday? If less than three (3) people tell you ‘thank you! Everyday’, know that you have a long to way go to attain the category of good people, and you are not fit to be a true Nigerian of our era. Things are changing fast in this frame of time as we advance, and we have realized that when death comes knocking it will not give us a chance to close our fat bank accounts. ‘You will definitely leave this Mother Earth with nothing, because naked you came’.

      Like I said, I am too small to speak to you, guess I have succeeded in aggravating some prominent individuals even here and now, I have succeeded in making more enemies rather than friends. A lot of us are only hoping to pick this certificate and become the Boss, and then improve our stealing techniques. Too bad! You just got served! If you are determined to kill me for telling you the truth, please! When you drive the sword let it be directed to my heart, anywhere else, I might just carry it with me. I am not stopping, only moving. We need you to please understand and re-adjust friends. Refocus, throw away the dream of plenty cars, houses, and things that will hurt you. It is true that; the more money you get the bigger your problems. This is proved. So, why the tooth and nail fights? I am not saying fold your arms and sleep, no! I am only challenging you to do the right things.

      "Please! I might just round up by telling you that, those of us that GOD has placed in high positions; do not seek your own benefits alone, but others as well. Use this constructively and I tell you, whatever you seek you will find just close to your nose, let it just be that you seek good things. We may part now, but we are still together".

Having sat at the feet of our esteemed Lecturers and friends to be imparted this knowledge into our subconscious, I say ‘thank you’, to the Department of Postgraduate Studies as well, I say another big thank you, to my colleagues and friends, to Bayero University Kano and to Nigeria at large, thank you so much’.

‘Nigeria, we are coming to lead you well, in truth, integrity, honesty, faithfulness and transparency. “Tomorrow is a better day”. Thank you all and GOD bless. GOD bless Nigeria’.

                                               

Moses Kogis.

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